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Works on Lisbon suspension bridge to start "soon"

Portugal's planning minister has said that the works on the 25 de Abril bridge in Lisbon, "will start soon, possibly even before the end of this year", but they were still waiting for the court of auditors' authorisation.

On 20 September, Infraestruturas de Portugal, a state-owned company responsible for Portugal's main transport infrastructure, said that the works on the bridge had been awarded for €12.6 million to the consortium consisting of the companies Somague, Sociedade de Montagens Metalomecânicas and STAP–Reparação, Consolidação e Modificação de Estruturas.

“The works focus on the metal components of the suspension bridge and the prestressed reinforced concrete parts of the northern access viaduct,” the company said at the time about the bridge that links the two banks of the Tagus River between Almada and Lisbon.

Initially, the company estimated that the work would cost €18 million, but the winning consortium – out of six – presented a lower proposal, totalling €12.6 million.

On 12 September, also in parliament, Minister Pedro Marques had estimated that the works would begin “later this year.”